Lhoka (Shannan) is a Prefecture of 12 counties in South
Tibet. It covers 80,000 sq kms with a scattered population
of 316,000. The Prefecture includes Lhasa airport and lies
on the border with Bhutan and N.E.India. High barren areas
and arid mountains surround fertile river valleys and lakes.
The Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) river flows through the
Prefecture. Lhoka, also called Shannan in Chinese, is of
great historic importance. It is believed the Tibetan people
began here. The Prefecture also contains the first palace,
monastery, and cultivated field in Tibet's history. The tombs
of thirteen kings lie in a side valley near Tsetang, the capital town established in 1351 by the ruler Jangchub Gyeltsen. Life is harsh for the people, with long and very cold dry winters, dusty winds, and poor crops.
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